Alternative splice variants of rhomboid proteins: Comparative analysis of database entries for select model organisms and validation of functional potential.

Rhomboid serine proteases are present across many species and are often encoded in each species by more than one predicted gene. Based on protein sequence comparisons, rhomboids can be differentiated into groups - secretases, presenilin-like associated rhomboid-like (PARL) proteases, iRhoms, and "inactive" rhomboid proteins. Although these rhomboid groups are distinct, the different types can operate simultaneously.

Potential for mcl-PHA production from nonanoic and azelaic acids.

Greater than 65% of canola and high-oleic soy oil fatty acids is oleic acid, which is readily converted to nonanoic (NA) and azelaic (AzA) acids by ozonolysis. NA is an excellent substrate for medium-chain-length polyhydroxyalkanoate (mcl-PHA) production but AzA has few uses. Pseudomonas citronellolis DSM 50332 and Pseudomonas fluorescens ATCC 17400, both able to produce mcl-PHA from fatty acids and to grow on AzA as the sole source of carbon and energy, were assessed for the accumulation of mcl-PHA from AzA and NA.

Carbon-limited fed-batch production of medium-chain-length polyhydroxyalkanoates by a phaZ-knockout strain of Pseudomonas putida KT2440.

A medium-chain-length poly-3-hydroxyalkanote (MCL-PHA) depolymerase knockout mutant of Pseudomonas putida KT2440 was produced by double homologous recombination. A carbon-limited shake-flask study confirmed that depolymerase activity was eliminated. Lysis of both mutant and wild-type strains occurred under these conditions.

Factors influencing consent to having videotaped mental health sessions.

Objective: The authors critically reviewed the literature regarding factors influencing consent to having videotaped mental health sessions.

Methods: The authors searched the literature in PubMed, PsycINFO, Google Scholar, and Web of Science from the mid-1950s through February 2009.

Results: The authors identified 27 studies, of which 19 (73%) examined general practice.

Biodegradation of 1,4-dioxane by a Flavobacterium.

A dioxane-degrading consortium was enriched from soil obtained from a contaminated groundwater plume. The enriched consortium did not use dioxane as the sole source of carbon and energy but co-metabolized dioxane in the presence of tetrahydrofuran (THF). THF and dioxane concentrations up to 1000 ppm were degraded by the enriched consortium in about 2 weeks with a longer lag phase observable at 1000 ppm.

Uncovering a link between a plastid translocon component and rhomboid proteases using yeast mitochondria-based assays.

Rhomboid proteases are present in bacteria, insects, yeasts, parasites, mammals and plants. These proteases are part of the regulated intramembrane proteolysis mechanism for controlling processes such as development, stress response, lipid metabolism and mitochondrial membrane remodeling. Specific rhomboid protease substrates linked to these processes have been identified from insects to mammals, but not for plants.

Constitutive expression of pea Lhcb 1-2 in tobacco affects plant development, morphology and photosynthetic capacity.

Lhcb1-2 from pea was constitutively expressed in transgenic tobacco plants and assessed for functional impact. The successful assembly of the encoded proteins into LHCII trimers was confirmed by electrospray tandem mass spectrometry. Constitutive production of LHCb1-2 led to increased number of thylakoid membranes per chloroplast, increased grana stacking, higher chloroplast numbers per palisade cell and increased photosynthetic capacity at low irradiance, both on a chlorophyll and leaf area basis.

Evidence that the plastid translocon Tic40 components possess modulating capabilities.

The transport of proteins into the plastid is a process that faces changing cellular needs such as the situation found in different plant organs or developing tissues. The plastid translocon must therefore be responsive to the changing cell environment to deliver efficiently different arrays of structurally diverse proteins. Although the Tic40-related envelope proteins appear to be translocon components designed to address the varying needs of protein translocation, details of their involvement remain elusive.

The Tic40 translocon components exhibit preferential interactions with different forms of the Oee1 plastid protein precursor.

The transport of proteins across the plastid envelope involves a host of proteinaceous components that attend to varying structural needs of the process. This study focuses on interactions between two select forms (designated Tic40 and Toc36) of the Tic40-related components and different structural versions of the Oee1 precursor to dissect the components' mode of operation. Interaction profiling revealed several features pertaining to how Tic40-related components might work during the transport process.

The plastid translocon component TOC36 exhibits an affinity for the bacterial protein translocation process.

The 44-kDa envelope polypeptides are active components of the plastid translocon, but their role in plastid protein import remains elusive. One form from Brassica napus (bnToc36B) was previously observed to exert a significant overall effect on bacterial protein translocation, but the nature of the influence requires further characterization. The experimental strategies employed in this study thus focus specifically on the nature of the bnToc36B-bacterial Sec translocon relationship to gain an understanding of Toc36's function.

Chronic treatment with azide in situ leads to an irreversible loss of cytochrome c oxidase activity via holoenzyme dissociation.

Chronic treatment of cultured cells with very low levels of azide (I(50)<10 microm) leads to slow (t(12) = 6 h), irreversible loss of cytochrome c oxidase (COX) activity. Azide-mediated COX losses were not accompanied by inhibition of other mitochondrial enzymes and were not dependent upon electron flux through oxidative phosphorylation. Although azide treatment also reduced activity (but not content) of both CuZn superoxide dismutase and catalase, a spectrum of pro-oxidants (and anti-oxidants) failed to mimic (or prevent) azide effects, arguing that losses in COX activity were not due to resultant compromises in free radical scavenging.